Re Amazon’s “used” eBook patent, it’s intent may be preemptive but the effect is to create precedent for the transfer of digital goods. Personally, I like the idea of owning a digital object because it does not foreclose the possibility of my transferring what I have paid for to someone else. Take the example of rare. out of print, books. Why should there not be the possibility of a digital book that is rare? Digital assets are disappearing just as physical assets are disappearing and maybe faster at that.

@ Marilynn, apparently Amazon thinks otherwise. As we’ve seen from reading Amazon’s Terms of Sale, they only lease an eBook. They may think that they can enforce those terms at some point in the future such that they can transfer ownership from one customer to another. They are successively approximating a commercial environment where goods become services that require ongoing payments. Right now, we think that lease is in perpetuity but that may change.

David Rothman { Yes, Anne, proprietary DRM frustrates me too. But at least with the standard ePub format, we're a good part of the way there. As for... } – Aug 02, 3:23 PM

Anne { @David- I think freedictionary.com needs to add something along the lines of "as long as the specs don't allow for the addition of a variety... } – Aug 02, 1:56 PM

David Rothman { I'll go with this definition of "standard" from thefreedictionary.com: "A set of specifications that are adopted within an industry to allow compatibility between products." Thanks,... } – Aug 01, 11:25 PM